Shillong, May 7: Asking the state government to find other measures to generate revenue, the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Saturday demanded the state government to repeal the Meghalaya Regulation of Gaming Act, 2021, as it seeks to legalize gambling in the state.

Calling the Act as ‘unacceptable’, HYC general secretary Roy Kupar Synrem, in a statement, said, “We demand the government to immediately repeal the provisions of the Act and its Rules related to gambling and to come up with other measures to generate revenue for the state,” in a statement.

Synrem further asserted the need for the government to cut down on unnecessary expenditures which do not at all benefit and contribute to the growth and development of the state.

“We demand the government to reduce expenditures in organizing different festivals which are not benefiting the state and to stop paying allowances to the MLAs/MDCs and ex-MLAs/ex-MDCs/MPs who are appointed as chairmen, co-chairmen, vice chairmen and others in the different boards, corporations as they are all salaries and pensions from the government,” he said.

The HYC leader further emphasized the need for the government to come up with a zero tolerance policy on corruption.

“The government should also address the problem related to leakage of revenue and benami transactions,” he said.

Meanwhile, church leaders in the state have also expressed strong resentment against the government’s move to legalize gambling in the state.